Most common 2001 Hyundai Tiburon problems
Share of the 36 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Tiburon complaints by model year
Best Tiburon years: 2002, 2008, 1999. Years to avoid: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2000. Compare all years →
2001 Hyundai Tiburon recalls (1)
Seat belts › Front › Webbing
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belts May not extend and retract smoothly through the d-ring guides mounted on the body pillars aft of the doors.
Remedy: Dealers will install a stopper over each front seat belt d-ring guide to assist the seat belt to smoothly extend and retract. Owner notification began December 10, 2001.
What 2001 Hyundai Tiburon owners say
Air bags
On August 25f 2002 my fiance' was driving my 2001 Hyundai Tiburon which I had purchased new in February of 2002. He was cut off by a person driving a Chevy blazer. The entire front end of the Tiburon struck the truck in the rear passenger's side door. My fiance' was driving approximatly 30-35 miles an hour at impact. The Tiburon incurred just under $6000 in damages including replacing the transmission because the force of the impact cracked the transmission case. I am filing this complaint because even though there was a significant impact, the airbags in the Tiburon never inflated. The impact was strong enough that my fiance sustained injury to his forehead and chest when they struck the steering wheel and the windshield. I feel that his injuries would have been prevented by the airbag deploying. I contacted Hyundai asking them to do an investigation and was refused twice.
I was a passenger in my Tiburon and my wife was driving. We were traveling on oklahoma highway 59 and speed limit was 65 MPH. A frontal collision with the rear of an extremely large farm tractor at a speed estimated by the investigating state policeman at 25-30 MPH. We were both wearing our seatbelts,however I made contact with the windshield and the dash of the car. Neither the driver nor the front passenger airbags deployed. The damage is estimated at 10,500.00, with extensive front end damage fender, hood ,windshield damage, battery , horn, brake components, front suspension grille, front bumper, headlamps, radiator,A/C and heater. We were both injured and were seen at our local er. All this and no air bag deployment needs to be investigated.
Seat belts
While driving about 45 MPH consumer's vehicle hit a tractor from the rear, and the air bags failed to deploy. Also, the seat belts did not keep the passenger and driver in position, throwing them forward.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Hyundai Tiburon. The contact stated that the drivers and passenger side seat belts have malfunctioned since she was unable to retract them. It took her approximately two to three attempts before she could fully extend the seat belts in order to securely close the latch. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor was the vehicle repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000. Updated 3/21/11 the consumer discovered a recall was issued for the exact problem she experienced. However, her vehicle identification number was not included in the recall. Updated 06/03/11
Transmission & drivetrain
In the 23 months I have had my car I have had all of the following replaced: 2 batteries, 3 alternators, a feul pressure regulator, a gasket valve, a manifold, a catalic converter, a 3 transmissions (4 if you include the transmission that was in the car when I bought it). I bought the car with 26 miles on it. The very first weekend I had the car the alternator and the battery both had to be replaced. I have put 66,000 miles on this car, but am still dealing with all the problems because the transmission they put in there a couple weeks ago is still making noises. I also had to replace a faulty tire that came on the car, at first the dealership told me I bent my rim, but I took it elsewhere and the tire was bad.
Car started making loud tapping noise, about 3 days later it started having problems accelerating. I had a friend that works on cars look at it and he said it was valve tapping coming from the engine. He used some oil to remedy the problem temporarily but said problem will continue until engine is most likely replaced?!?! I had to have the transmission replaced in 2003 after being told for several months that it was just my air conditioner! It is problem after problem with this car and to top it all off I have never received any recall information on this car with the exclusion of the seatbelt recall, what kind of company did I buy a car from?
2001 Hyundai Tiburon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Hyundai Tiburon a good car?
Based on 36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Tiburon rates average: 13% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Tiburon at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Hyundai Tiburon?
The air bags — 8 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the seat belts (8) and transmission & drivetrain (7).
How many recalls does the 2001 Hyundai Tiburon have?
There is 1 recall for the 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, the most recent from November 6, 2001 (webbing). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Tiburon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002, 2008 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2000. See the full Hyundai Tiburon years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Hyundai Tiburon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 63,000 miles; 40% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.